bog-ardus



(ModeL) H. BOGARDUS.

INTERGONVERTIBLE BOX, BRACKET, &c.

.Fig l.

WITNESSES:

28m. fioo'wiw) Patented Nov. 22,1881. Fi g. 2

I N V E NTO R By his Attorneys,

ognpher. Wnhlngton, n. c.

4 Sheets-Shet 1.

(ModeL) WITNESSES; Wm

35%. "Eamdm o 4 SheetsSheet 3.

H. BOGARDUS. INTERGONVERTIBLE BOX, BRACKET, 6w.

Patented N037. 22,1881.

INVENTOR:

By his .d ttorneys,

8mm 5mm N. PETERS. PhuhrLilhngrnphcr, Washmg'un. I). C.

' jacent to one side or edge.

' edges and turned in opposite directions.

UNITED STATES HUDSON B-OGAR'DUS,

PATENT OFFICE.

on NEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERCONVERTIBLE BOX, BRACKET, 84C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,823, dated November22, 1881.

Application filed May 23, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HUDSON BOGARDUS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have in-' "entedcertain Improvements in Interconvertible Boxes, Brackets, and otherArticles, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 4: are ditierent views of abox, and Fig. 5 is a view of the separate pieces employed in itsconstruction. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the box. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, and Fig. 4 is a verticalmid-section taken along the line 4 at in Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation of one section or half of the box used as a wall-bracket.

Referring to these figures, a a are the larger front and back boards orplates. 12 b are the smaller ones. 0 c c 0 are the four side pieces, andd d are the end pieces. These pieces are allcut, by preference, fromthin boards of wood in any desired design. Two pieces, 0c, and one ofeach of the other pieces combined together form abracket,A, (shown inFig. 6,) and two brackets, A, put together form a box, 13, (shown inFigs. 1 to 4.)

Referring to Fig. 5, each piece a is cut with two open-ended slots, a,on opposite sides, and on the same sides at the opposite corners fromwhich these slots commence are two rabbets, a. At one end is formed aspringcatch, e, consisting of two narrow and elastic projecting stripsor tongues formed in one piece with the board a, and separated by asaw-kerf. Near the ends these strips are swelled or widened at e, andcontracted at 0, so as to form a wipe or latch, whose use will beexplained hereinafter. Each piece I) has also two openended slots, 1:,inverted relatively to those in a, and it has also a closed slot orsocket, b, arranged at right angles to the slots 1) and ad- Each piece 0has two open-ended slots, 0. and c", on opposite Ithas also a hole orsocket, c, a spring-latch, f, (which answers to one of the stripsforming the latch 12, already described,) and a notch or socket, f,adapted to receive the latch f of another piece, c, as shown in Fig.2.Each piece (1 has a broad projection, d, on its first edge correspondingto the slot b, in which projection is formed a slot or notch, 9,correspond.- ing to the latch c. On the opposite edge is a notch, g alsocorresponding to the latch c. On its opposite ends are projections d,which correspond to the sockets c, and there are also other notchesaround its edge, which will be referred to hereinafter.

The parts are put together thus: The front piece, I), is connected tothe side pieces, a, by sliding them together at their corners at rightangles, the slot 0 receiving the piece b, and the slot b receiving thepiece 0. The piece d is then connected by thrusting it between the sidepieces, 0, toward the piece I), springing the free edges of the pieces 0apart to admit the passage of the projections (1. The projection denters the slot 1), and the side pieces, 0, being brought togetheragain, the projections d enter the sockets c. The back piece, a, is thenslid on, its slots a embracing the pieces c, and the slots 0" embracingthe piece a. All are now locked firmly together, and the bracket A isformed. To form a box for inclosing or packing articles, two of thesebrackets, exactly alike, are slid together, the back piece, a, of onebracket sliding across the front piece, b, of the other until thelatches 6 enter the slots 9 and the latches f enter the recesses f, asshown best in Figs. 1 and 2, when they are connected so firmly togetherthat'a strong pull is necessary to separate them. The rabbets a" narrowthat portion ofthe piece a sufficiently to permit it to pass between theprojecting edges of the pieces 0 0.

My box is especially adapted to be used as a packingbox for clocks. Forthis purpose I provide three extra pieces, h, h, and 2', as shown inFigs. 7 and 8, of which Fig. 7 is a front elevation of one bracket A,inverted, and containing a clock, 0, and the pieces h, 71, and 17,- andFig. 8 is a side elevation of these pieces removed. These pieces aredesigned to lock into the box and to confine the clockOin place thereinduring transportation. Each piece It has a downwardly-projectin g arm,j, at whose end is a shoulder, j. These arms j enter notchesj in thepiece (I, (see Fig. 5,) and the shoulders j take under the piece d, sothat the pieces It cannot be lifted while they are engaged. Each pieceIt has also two slots, h

and h, Fig. 8, and the piece i has two slots,

i, which mayiuterlock with either of the slots h and h. In these figuresthe piece t'is shown as in the slots h, so as to leave room for theclock between it and thearms j. The clock is placed on the floor (I, thepieces h h i are put together and slipped down over it, their arms jjbeing passed into the notches j 9' and pressed down until the shouldersj j engage the floor d, when the clock will be confined firmly in place.The second bracketAis then connected to the first, as shown in Figs. 1to 4, whereupon, with a suitable wrapping, the whole is ready forshipment. The purchaser reverses this process in removing the clock, andthen, by proceeding as follows, he makes of the box a handsomebracket-case for the clock. He places the piece 6 in the slots h, pushesthe pieces h it toward the floor-piece d, inverts the half-box A to forma bracket, sets the clock on the floor (1 thereof, places the otherbracket A above it, and engages its latch 6 with the notch gat the backof said floor-piece d, (see Fig. 5,) and hangs the whole on thewall,when it appears as shown in Fig. 9, which is a front elevation. Thepieces h h'inow form an addition to the ornamentation of the lowerbracket A.

My invention may also be adapted for holding or displaying otherarticles for sale or use. Figs. 10 and 11 show it as a stationery-box,and Figs. 12 and 13 as a bottle-receptacle.

Fig. 10 is a plan of the stationery-box empty, and Fig. 11 is a frontelevation thereof, in section,cut on the line 11 11 in Fig. 10. For thisuse I employ the bracket A and three additional pieces, on and an. Thepiece in rests on the floor d and has a latch, l, on each end or side,projecting below the floor through notches Z Z therein, (see Fig. 5,)and having a shoulder which bears upwardly against the floor, preventingthe lifting of the piece m. This piece also has two slots extendingupward from its bottom edge, and into these slots lit the pieces a a,which have interlocking slots extending from their upper edgedownwardly. The pieces at n a are put together, the back piece, a, slidout, the sides 0 c sprung apart slightly, the latches Z I presseddownward through the notches l l, the sidesc cbrought together again,and the piece a replaced. Four compartments are thus formed, a largeback compartment, 1), suitable for holding paper, two front sidecompartments, E E, for holding envelopes, and a front centralcompartment, F, which may contain an inkstand. The pieces at a may benotched on their top edges to serve as a pen-rack.

Fig. 12 is a plan of my box adapted for holding and displaying bottles,such as perfumery bottles, two of which are shown in it and Fig. 13 is avertical section thereof cut along the line 13 13, Fig. 12.

In addition to the bracket A, I employ three special pieces, 1) p and q,to form a bottle-rack. Each piece 1) has two straight sides, which fitagainst the pieces d and a, and a downward projection, p, atits back,which passes through notches p in the floor-piece d, and has a shoulderwhich takes under the same and prevents thelifting of the piece 12. Eachpieeep has also two slots, q, one entering it horizontally, the otherentering it vertically and downwardly. The piece q may enter either ofthese slots, and has coinciding slots which interlock with them. It hasseveral sockets, q q, for receiving the necks of as many bottles, thesides of these sockets consisting of elastic tongues, so that thebottles can be inserted and removed by pressing them into the sockets,these tongues springing apart to admit them. The piece q is put into thehorizontal slots q in the pieces p p, and the bottles are placed in therack thus formed. The piece a is removed from the bracket A, the rack isslipped into place, and the piece a replaced. The second bracket A beingapplied, the whole is ready for wrapping and shipment. When displayed instores for sale the bottles may be removed from the rear side of therack and stood on the piece q, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13. Whenthe bottles have been removed the piece (1 may be put in the verticalslots q, and the receptacle inverted and used as a bracket-,when thispiece will serve as an ornament.

My box is well adapted for use as a cigarbox, and if it is desired thatit be left open on a counter for the sale of the cigars the pieces a, orone of them, may be made to slide off independently of the remainder ofits bracket A, which may be accomplished by reversing the slots a and c,causing them to extend from the opposite sides and in the oppositedirections.

My invention is susceptible of considerable modification withoutdeparting from its essential features, and I do not desire to limitmyself to the exact form and construction shown. Among othermodifications the latchesffmay be omitted, or the latch 0, instead ofbeing placed in the middle, may be divided, and one of its tongues orstrips may be formed at each side, the projection d being likewisedivided and correspondingly arranged.

The part or structure A which I have hereinbefore-referred to as abracket is obviously not essentially or necessarily a bracket, that namehaving been adopted by me in want of a more comprehensive one, since itmay be so modified in design or proportion as to be incapable of use asa wall-bracket without departin g from its essential construction. Whentwo of these brackets are united to form a box,

B, it is only necessary that they should conform to each other in thedimensions of their interlocking parts so as to fit together, and

that their sides 0 0 should conform to each other in outline to agreater or less extent, according as the box is desired to be more orless closed or imperforate. In making the sides 0 c for an imperforatebox, I may cut the two pieces which are to fit together edge to edgefrom one board with a scroll-saw.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A receptacle consisting of the combinationof a bottom piece having projections from side pieces overlap at thecorners, are there in-' terlocked, and project below the bottom,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of two receptacles, A A, each consisting of piecesforming the sides, and joined together by interlocking vertical slots,with their ends projecting beyond the corners, and ofa piece forming thebottom fastened between them, one side piece on each receptacle beingprolonged beyond the others, and of such width as to fit between two ofthe projecting ends of the side pieces on the other receptacle, and thetwo receptacles being otherwise conformed to each other, whereby whenthey are united they will form a closed box, B, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination of two receptacles, A A, each consisting ofsides anda bottom joined together, and each provided with an elastic elongationfrom one of its sides entering a socket formed in the bottom of theother, and serving as latches to fasten the two receptacles together toform a closed box, B, substantially as set forth.

4. A wooden receptacle, A,-having a springlatch, 0, consisting ofopposite elastic tongues made integral with one of the pieces composingthe receptacle, and formed withacontracted neck, 0, and enlargement e,in combination with another receptacle having a socket into which saidspring-latch enters when the two receptacles are fitted together,substantially as set forth.

5. A receptacle consisting of a back piece,

slot or socket 12, side pieces, 0 0, having slots 0 and c, and socket c,and floor-piece d, having projections cl and 02, substantially as setforth.

7. A receptacle consisting of pieces a b and c c, joined togetherrectangularly at their corners, and floor-piece d,confined between themand having projections entering sockets in them, in combination withasecond like receptacle, the two capable of fitting together to form aclosed box, and with means for fastening them together substantially asset forth.

8. A bracket'consisting of pieces a b and c c, joined togetherrectangularly at its corners, and floor-piece d, confined therein, andhaving projection d passing through piece b, and provided with slot g,in combination with a second similar bracket capable of fitting to thefirstand forming with it a closed box, and having a spring-latch, 0,formed on its piece a, capable of engaging said slot g when the twobrackets are put together, and thereby serving to fasten them together,substantially as set forth.

9. A bracket consisting of pieces a b and c c, joined togetherrectangnlarly at its corners, and floor-piece cl, confined between thesides,in combination with a second like bracket, the two being capableof fitting together and forming a closed box, in combination, also, withelastic latches f f, and sockets f f therefor formed in the pieces 0 c,and adapted to fasten the two brackets together, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

10. The combination, with a box, B,formed of two brackets, A A, capableof fitting together, of interlocking pieces capable of attachment to oneof said brackets and adapted to hold goods or articles in place thereinfor shipment, and to serve as ornamental additions thereto when used asa bracket, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with a box, B,formed of twobrackets, A A, capableof fitting together, of interlocking pieces hit and 1', adapted toconfine a clock or similar article in place within the box duringshipment, and capable of serving as ornaments to one of the bracketswhen used as such, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HUDSON BOGARDUS. Witnesses:

HENRY GoNNETT, ARTHUR O. FRASER.

